The Trilisk Ruins by Michael McCloskey Read Free Book Online Page A

They
were quite resourceful in our orbital encounter. Take your copter
out there and see if you can snoop them out. If you do find the
landing site, try and identify the ship so we can intercept it at
its destination port if they elude us here. Of course, if you run
across any of them while investigating...”
    Joe knew what that meant. Smuggling
alien artifacts was a grave offense, posing a considerable danger
to the United Nations. Grave enough, in fact, that anyone caught
doing it could be shot if they didn’t surrender immediately upon
coming into contact with the space force.
    Commander Mailson knew Joe quite well.
The lieutenant’s line of thinking was transparent to
him.
    “ I thought you’d enjoy the
chance to bag something other than alien varmints, for
once.”
    “ Yes sir! I appreciate that,
sir.”
    “ Be careful. They know it’s
a dangerous business and have already proven to be well prepared.
They’re more likely to start shooting at you than
surrender.”
    “ Yes, sir. What do I have at
my disposal for this operation?”
    “ I requisitioned some
hardware for you. The scientists are having a shit fit over it. I
managed to get you another Series Seven, a variety of small arms,
and some satellite coverage to help search for them. We’ll drop a
refueling station for your copter near the search zone. Since the
copter travels light, we’ll drop most of the other supplies you
need with the fuel.”
    “ Sounds good, sir. Anything
else?”
    “ That’s it. Keep me
notified.”
    The commander broke the link. Joe
opened his eyes and threw his rifle over his back.
    “ Big game it is,” he said
happily and marched back towards the copter.
     
    ***
     
    The refueling platform was a huge metal
spider, its gasoline-filled abdomen resting against the green
earth. Joe skillfully maneuvered his one-man copter in a spiral
down towards the landing zone on the spider’s back.
    He landed the flying machine expertly,
then pried himself out of the tiny seat. He winced, coaxing
sleeping muscles back to life. At least the weather had been good;
it was summer here on Yarnitha.
    Joe walked down into the small living
center of the platform. As Commander Mailson had promised, two
Series Seven robots were waiting for him. Joe wished that he could
make use of more formidable hardware than this. These were general
purpose robotoids and could perform a wide range of functions. The
real combat robots, which looked more like tanks than humanoids,
were needed for base protection. The Series Sevens would have to
do.
    He looked the robots over and checked
their programs. They were both loaded with reconnaissance software
as he had expected. He left one alone and cleared the other one’s
brain, loading a combat package instead.
    The robots were too heavy to ride on
the small copter. There was a large, slow hovercar provided for
their transport. It would serve to shuttle them back and forth but
would be worse than useless in a combat situation. Joe decided that
he would have to get a bearing on the smugglers before calling for
the robots.
    Joe had no choice but to sleep before
getting started. The day-and-a-half trip over from the other
continent had been long and uncomfortable. He was completely
exhausted. The copter was fast and maneuverable, but sitting in the
same position for several hours between rest stations was less than
ideal. Still Joe spurred himself on, eager for the opportunity to
hunt some real prey for a change. He was bored with the routine of
sniping at helpless creatures while the robots catalogued them.
This time the targets of his hunt might be able to fight
back.
    He cranked open the two tiny windows on
opposite sides of his cramped quarters. He thought briefly about
the dangers of allowing something in while he slept but decided the
robots could watch for him. He wanted to feel the warm night air
and hear the sounds of the forest outside. It reminded him of
summer nights on the frontier planet where he grew up.